There are some awesome spiritual programs we lead, that you can benefit from. Such as: dream interpretation, inner castle program, angelic encounter sessions.
We thought it might be good to answer a few queries you might have, such as:
what is 'active imagination' and
what is 'creative visualisation'...
... that are used in inner castle sessions and angelic encounter sessions etc. Some might find these terms unusual and a little foreboding, but we hope, here, to dispel any confusion, as both terms are both natural and supernatural - because you are both natural and supernatural, too!
And some might have concerns that active imagination or creative visualisation may compromise their religious faith, and the following, we hope and pray, will answer any queries you have, and show these 'tools' to be not only acceptable, but very useful and beneficial spiritual tools to aid your spiritual growth and maturity whether you are young, mature, a professional person, an artist, writer etc - whoever you are, you can benefit.
In outline:
Active Imagination
Active imagination is useful, especially during dream interpretation sessions. Active imagination occurs when your anamcara, that is, your spiritual teacher, gently guides you through the dream recollection session, say, and you are reliving or recounting the dream as though it was happening then, again. Active imagination almost runs by itself (in that no person or outside influence directs you), as you speak about the dream. There is no trance; and no hypnosis is used. All that happens is that you relax and are gently encouraged to relive, retell that dream by using a guided, imaginative process.
In a religious sense, there is no invocation, and those of faith can indulge in creative imagination without compromising their belief.
Indeed, in the Book, God speaks through and uses dreams a lot. See appendix A below.
In the spiritual sense, a lot is happening (only) because you are a spiritual, supernatural being, and 'wired' up that way by the Divine. And that's amazing, and makes active imagination a powerful, wonderful, safe, and revealing spiritual tool.
In the mundane, scientific sense, the psyche is part of 'you', still, and so in that sense using active imagination is entirely natural, if you want to look at it that way, but that's to be expected because you have a 'solid body', too. Nevertheless, even seen in this light, you are an amazing person, 'fearfully and wonderfully made', and are 'wired' up to use your imagination in the 'mundane' world, and so can find out more about yourself.
Active imagination happens all the time. When you're speaking to someone and you miss what they said because your attention 'drifted off' onto something else, or you walk a route home and suddenly realise you've covered a mile and not really been aware of your surroundings because you were thinking about the holiday advert on last nights tv, or you 'rehearse' what you would have liked to say to your boss...all that is creative imagination, and (naturally) is useful and beneficial.
Active imagination then, is a useful spiritual tool that we all have by the Divine's grace, and can employ at different times, and it work wonders in dream interpretation sessions and other sessions, esepcially when guided by a professional, competent, spiritual teacher - an anamcara.
Creative Visualisation
Creative visualisation is similar to active imagination, see above. Your anamcara may guide you more, yes, may set the scene, and narrate different scenarios and ask (more) questions and start/stop the 'script' as you visualise scenarios, but like creative imagination, you are in control. There is no trance, no invocation, no hypnosis.
Creative visualisation is used, mainly, for ambling though the rooms and scenarios in the Inner Castle spiritual program sessions (and these are based on the classic works of Julian of Norwich), and for dream interpretation where only fragments of the dream are recollected or one finds creative imagination difficult.
Some are worried about the term visualisation, bu there is no reason to fear it. In one sense, even movie makers encourage you to use creative visualisation when the movie ends abruptly and you have to figure out exactly what happened. Don't we all like that kind of suspense, and don't we all 'put ourselves' into the movies' story to work it out. 'If I was him/her...I would have...'. and so we all indulge in creative visualisation. Or we might use available facts about the story and try and anticipate the outcome or the next except, or visualise what might happen in real life to a decision we make or words that we use. Visualisation is something we use all the time, but when directed and used as a specific tool it can benefit us wonderfully.
Creative visualisation, then, is another useful spiritual tool, entirely safe, and under your control.
When to book? How often?
Some may be confused as to when, how to book. Should one book a series of sessions or book for a one-off session?
Booking for angelic encounter sessions, inner castle sessions or dream sessions (and indeed any other sessions) is easy.
Some spiritual sojourners, like to book on a regular basis, and use their one-to-one sessions as a time of going deeper, and of building on the good work of their last session - it that case it's progressive.
Angelic encounters, and more so inner castle sessions and dream sessions may be used it this way. You'll discover a lot about yourself. In which case, you might like to book several sessions in one go! Maybe one a week, once a month, perhaps?
Others like to book for an angelic encounter or dream session etc because of a specific incident or event, or an upcoming challenge, and then they book one or two sessions allied to that specific need. That works well, too. For instance, when using the inner castle program, instead of working through a myriad of awesome rooms and exploring your inner landscape widely, someone with a specific need, challenge, impending decision or sports competition may like to explore just room - the room of decision, or the room of empowerment, and meet their need there! In these cases, do book when you have a specific need.
Booking is easy - and to find out which of the awesome spiritual programs might benefit you - do see the link below.
Group seminars, workshops, roadshows and retreats are available.
The abovementioned explanations relate to spiritual programs organised by Jonathan Tadhg. For more information see: http://www.caolait.org/
Appendix A
Below is a list of verses from the Book illustrating how God communicated with men and women of old, culminating with a verse that promises that, in future, men and women will have dreams of meaning, and visions (even more so, than before). Do check:
God speaks to Abram while he is in a deep sleep (Genesis 15);
God speaks to Abimelech the King of Gerar concerning his intentions regarding Sarah, Abraham's wife (Genesis 20);
Jacob dreams of a ladder to heaven (Genesis 28);
Joseph dreamed of his future success (Genesis 37) and interpreted the dreams of the Pharaoh of Egypt (Genesis 41);
Solomon conversed with God in his dreams (1 Kings 3);
Daniel interpreted dreams (in the Book of Daniel 2 and 4);
the Magi are told in a dream to avoid Herod on their journey home (Matthew 2);
Joseph, when betrothed to Mary, was told not to fear taking Mary as his wife (Matthew 1);
Joseph, now husband of Mary, was directed to flee with Mary and Jesus to Egypt (Matthew 2);
Paul was told to go to Macedonia (Acts 16)
In Acts 2:17 the apostle Peter quotes Joel 2:28 saying that because of the Spirit now out poured "...your old men will dream dreams."
